Tobacco product and process for making same



United States Patent 6 Claims. Cl. 131-140 This is a divisionalapplication of Ser. No. 493,950 filed Aug. 20, 1965, now Patent No.3,364,935, which was a divisional application of Ser. No. 130,829 filedAug. 11, 1961 now abandoned.

This invention relates to a new smoking product and the process formaking it.

It is an object of the invention to form a tobacco paste or slurry whichmay be formed into an article suitable for smoking.

It is a further object of the invention to provide such a tobacco pasteor slurry which is capable of being formed into a smoking article ofpredetermined shape and which because of its composition and mode offormation will have desired draw characteristics.

It is a further object of the invention to make such a slurry or pasteadaptable for forming into a smoking article that will be uniform inconstruction, feel, appearance, composition, bulk density and burn.

Still another object of the invention is to provide a method ofmanufacture of a smoking article that will be adaptable to a uniformpredetermined blending of various tobacco types as well as a uniformblending of desired ingredients such as casings, humectants, burnadditives, ash additives and the like.

It is accordingly an object of the invention to provide a novel smokingarticle having unusual uniformity in both its physical characteristicsand its organoleptic qualities.

A primary object is to provide a process for making reconstitutedtobacco wherein a foam stabilizing agent is foamed, followed by thesteps of admixing a foaming agent thereto and thereafter refoaming thmix.

One of the objects of the invention is to provide a novel smokingarticle formed from a viscous, plastic tobacco paste or slurry whichWill form a relatively rigid porous structure suitable for wrapping in aconventional manner, or which may be finished by novel methods such ascoating or otherwise sealing the surface pores.

It is an object of the invention to form a slurry or paste comprisingtobacco particles mixed in a liquid vehicle with foaming and adhesiveagents.

It is also an object of the invention to provide a process formanufacturing a novel smoking article which is readily adaptable tocontinuous processing advantageous to reducing the costs of a commercialoperation.

It is an object of the invention to improve or enhance the naturalqualities of tobacco by providing a means for increasing uniformity to aheretofore unheard of degree in blend, bulk density and draw.

It is a further object of the invention to improve the smoking qualitiesof tobacco by forming a smoking article having a continuous Open cellfilter matrix.

Accordingly, it is an object of the invention to produce a foamedtobacco slurry which when cast or otherwise formed into a desired shapeand suitably treated Will pro vide an open cellular structure. Thisproduces a smoking article of improved mildness.

With the foregoing and other objects in view, the advantages of th novelsmoking article and of the method 3,410,279 Patented Nov. 12, 1968 forforming same will appear from the following description.

The process as hereinafter more particularly described comprises foamingan adhesive, adding a foam stabilizer and refoaming, adding shredded orfinely divided tobacco preferably with a blowing agent to form astabilized foamed slurry. The slurry is then formed into a desired shapeand dried to a preselected moisture content, ranging from 5% to 40%,typically 20% to 40%, and preferably about 35%. During the drying, theblowing agent or, in the absence of blowing agent, expanding gasesreforms the foam to provide a skeletal structure in the final porouscohesive tobacco product.

While it is possibl to initially foam the adhesive and refoam same afteradding a foam stabilizer, the foaming operation may be preferablyperformed by initially foaming the stabilizer and then adding adhesiveand refoaming the mixture, or a mix of adhesive and stabilizer may befoamed.

The preferred method of this invention comprises, foaming a foamstabilizing agent, admixing a foaming agent and refoaming the mix,folding the tobacco particles into the foam to form a slurry of tobaccoand foam, forming said slurry into a predetermined shape and drying saidshaped slurry to a preselected moisture content to form a stablerelatively porous mass.

In adding the tobacco particles to the foamed adhesive, tobacco shredsare preferably added at first, followed by tobacco dust, although eithershreds or dust may be used. Otherwise, when the preferred method offoaming the adhesive is employed, the tobacco particles may be admixedwith the foam stabilizer and foamed in situ.

In accordance with the invention the slurry or paste foam may be madewith water or a mixture of Water and organic liquids. Satisfactoryresults have been obtained from the water paste system. Satisfactoryfoam agents include hydrophilic gums derived from natural or syntheticsources. The naturally occurring hydrophilic gums would include thebroad carbohydrate and protein classes. The former class comprises gumsfrom animals, plants and microbial sources. The animal sources wouldinclude glycogen, etc. The plant gums and derivatives would includecellulose ethers, cellulose esters, starches, starch ethers, starchesters, amylose, amylosopectin and their ester and ether derivatives,locust bean gum, guar gum, gum arabic and related seed gums and plantexudate gums. The plant gums also include marine plant gums such as thealgins, carageenins, laminarins, agar. The microbial gums include thedextrans, phosphomannans such as the USDA B-1459, B-l428, and theglucuronic acid containing microbial gums such as the USDA Y- 1409 gums.The synthetic hydrophicolloids, which have proved satisfactory, arepolyvinyl alcohol, polyoxyethylone and polyacryamide.

In a preferred embodiment of the invention we have found that themethylhydroxypropyl celluloses as a class give excellent results. Wehave further found that excellent results are produced with dispersibleproteins including animal proteins such as hydrolyzed ke'ratins, eggalbumin, and vegetable proteins such as gluten, zein, soy and cottonseedwhipping proteins, and also microbial proteins such as torula yeastproteins.

Following is an example of the manufacture of a cigar or cigar-likesmoking product in accordance with the invention.

EXAMPLE NO. 1

A mixture consisting of 4 grams of Methocel, and 200 milliliters ofwater was beaten into a foam at 25 C. with a household type mixer forfour minutes. A solution con- See footnotes at the bottom of Col. 3.

sisting of 0.9 gram of Alipal-C0436 2 in 3 milliliters of water wasbeaten into the foam for four minutes at a high speed setting. A tobaccomixture consisting of 27 grams of powdered tobacco (-80 U.S. Standardmesh) 63 grams of shredded tobacco (average dimension 0.06" by 0.75) wasfolded into th stabilized foam to form a tobacco paste foam. The tobaccopaste foam was tempered by allowing it to stand at a room temperaturefor fifteen minutes. The tobacco paste-foam was poured into apolystyrene mold, pre-coated with a silicone type release agent. Thedimensions of the mold were I.D. Aa", OD. 1%", length 6". The foam pastewas heated for 1.5 minutes in a Raytheon Radar Range using 800 wattspower and dried to a moisture level. The formed tobacco was conditionedovernight at 60% RH, 70 F. The formed tobacco core was wrapped with acigar wrapper leaf. The density of the finished article was 0.35 and hada pressure drop of 0.9 inch of water.

It should be here noted that commercial cigars have a density in thegenerally acceptable range of 0.2 to 0.6 s

and a pressure drop in the generally acceptable range of 0.4 to 2.5inches of water. The pressure drop referred to relates to a knowncapacity commonly used in the industry drawing a maximum of 8 inches ofwater.

EXAMPLE NO. 2

Six grams of commercial baking powder were added to the mixture ofExample No. 1 and the foam-paste was dried in a hot air oven at 63 C. toa moisture content.

EXAMPLE NO. 3

Example No. l was repeated except that 1 gram of Methocel was treatedwith 0.2 gram Igepal Co-630 instead of Alipal C0436. The formedpaste-foam was dried for 1 /2 minutes to a 35% moisture content. Thepressure drop was 0.5 inch of water.

EXAMPLE NO. 4

3 /2 grams 0 Methocel, 15,000 cps., and 0.5 gram of locust bean gum weremixed with a household type mixer into 180 ml. of water at 25 C. for twominutes. A premix containing 6 grams of commercial baking powder and 72grams of powdered tobacco (-80 mesh) and 18 grams of shredded tobaccowas blended into the foam. The paste was placed in cylindrical aluminummolds, cut lengthwise (LD. 0D. 1%", length 6"), which were precoatedwith a lecithin mold-release agent. The molds were joined together withdowels and placed in a hot air oven for 1 hour at 63 C. The drying wascompleted at 63 C. in vacuo. In order to facilitate drying, the moldshave small vent holes drilled through their walls but at a high angle tothe axis of the mold to prevent expansion of the mix passing out thevent holes. Additionally, when the mold halves were doweled together theedges of the molds did not meet but were kept a small distance apart, onthe order of m". This facilitated escape of liquid vapors. The densityof these tobacco cores was 0.39. The cores were in some instanceswrapped with natural wrapper leaf without a binder layer and in otherinstances wrapped with manufactured tobacco wrapper sheet also withoutthe necessity of a binder layer. The result was a cigar having theappearance, bulk density, aroma, drag Mcth0ce1 is the proprietary tradename for a methylhydroxypropyl cellulose containing 2030% methyl and2-15% hydroxypropyl groups. It has a viscosity of 4000 cps. (measured ona 2% solution at 20 centigrade), Although the examples are notspecifically set forth here, good results have been obtained withviscosities ranging from 100 cps. -to 15,000 cps. and higher viscositieshave been empoyed, although it was often necessary to go to an organicsolvent system rather than an aqueous system because of the lowsolubility of the mct-hocels of higher viscosity.

B Alipal-C0436 is the proprietary trade name for an anionic surfactantmade as the ammonium salt of sulphate ester of allrylphenoxy(ethyleneoxy) ethanol (58% active ingredients}.

Igcpnl Co'GFKO is a proprietary trade name for a nonaomcsm'lncl'nnt-nonyIpheuoxypolyoxyethylcne ethanol (100% illitiveingredients).

and burning quality comparable to ordinary good commercial cigars.

Referring to the above examples, it will be noted that Example No. 1employs an anionic foaming agent and uses no blowing agent. Example No.2 has a blowing agent and is dried in hot air which provides time forthe blowing agent to operate. Example No. 3 has no blowing agent butemploys a non-ionic foam stabilizer. Example No. 4 has no stabilizer buta blowing agent operating in a hot air drier.

Additionally, in the first and third examples drying was accomplished in1 to 1 /2 minutes by microwave drying. Examples 2 and 4 wereaccomplished by ordinary heat drying for a longer period of time. Theblowing agent operates during the heat period to sustain and/orreconstitute the foam.

At the time of folding in the tobacco the foam is substantiallydiminished. We have found that with the more rapid microwave drying itis preferable to have a foam stabilizer to reduce this. In the preferredembodiment, the foamed mix includes the foamed stabilizer insubstantially the proportions given above in order to achieve theaforesaid result.

In accordance with the invention, the hydrophilic colloid serves thedual function of providing a foam-like matrix as well as serving as anadhesive for bonding the tobacco particles.

A blowing or gassing agent is useful in reconstituting the foam that mayhave collapsed during the folding-in process. The usefulness of such anagent will, of course, depend on the foam setting or drying methodemployed. Where a slow heat method is employed, the agent has more timein which to work and is accordingly more effective. In rapid heat orrapid vacuum drying the effective action of the agent may be nil. Insuch case the use of a good foam stabilizer is desirable. Thestabilizing agent effects a beneficial action increasing the stabilityand the overrun of the foam. Foam stabilizing agents are chosen from thegeneral class of surfactants or detergents. A wide chemical range ofsurfactants perform satisfactorily. These include ionic and nonionictypes. For example, the salts of the sulfate esters of thealkylphenoxypolyoxethene ethanols, the parent alcohols such asnonylphenoxypolyoxyethylene ethanol, the salts of sulfate compounds ofthe type Nmethyl-N-oleoyl taurine, sorbitan esters such as sorbitanmonostearate (Span 60) or the monooleate (Span ethylene oxide-sorbitalcondensation 'products, and lecithins and lecithin derivatives.

Since the stabilizing agent is also, in fact, a foaming agent, and sincethe foaming agent is, in fact, a stabilizing agent, their roles can bereversed in certain formulas so long as adhesive is present. That is tosay, a foam prepared from a hydrophilic gum may be stabilized with adifferent hydrophilic gum or a surfactant, but a surfactant foam must bestabilized with a hydrophilic gum for its adhesive properties.

Using the formulation of Example No. 2, the tobacco paste foam wasextruded through an orifice to produce a continuous rod which then wasdried. The rods were then severed into desired cigar lengths which werethen wrapped in natural or manufactured tobacco wrapper sheet. Inextruding the core as a continuous rod a varying orifice may be employedto provide a predetermined shape to the formed article.

Considerable variations within the spirit of the invention is possible.The above examples are thought sufiicient to give one skilled in the artan understanding of the invention.

In addition to the unique possibilities for uniform blending, theinvention allows the unusually uniform addition of burn accelerators orinhibitors and/or ash additives. The known burn accelerators such asnitrate salts, or inhibitors such as halide salts may be advantageouslyincorporated during the mixing operation to obtain r uniquely uniformdistribution throughout the smoking mass. The same is true of the knownash additives which include titanium dioxide or diatomaceous earths. Infact, the invention is adapted to the uniform addition of any desiredadditive such as flavoring agents, humectants, biocides and the like.

The above examples and disclosure relate to a novel article ofmanufacture. Usually, the article is formed or finished into a cigarshape or wrapped in a cigar wrapper, natural or synthetic. However, thearticle could 'be shaped and, if desired, wrapped as a cigarette or as apipe charge. Several such samples were made and proved quitesatisfactory. The invention thus may be employed to form known types ofsmoking articles as well as completely novel types, as for example thecoated or unwrapped article, to be described below.

The tobacco product of the present invention may be formed in anydesired shape, for example, as pipe plugs or fillers, in addition torod-like cigar or cigarette forms. Moreover, the paste or slurry foammay also be cast in continuous sheets in thicknesses approximating thediameters of cigars or cigarettes, then dried and cut into rodlikelengths of cigarettes or cigars.

The shaped smoking article, particularly a cigar, or cigarette shape,may be covered with a relatively nonporous covering or envelope as, forexample, a web of combustible material compatible with smoking, such ascigarette paper, natural tobacco leaf wrapper and reconstituted tobaccoweb.

The product formed by the present invention may use a coatingcomposition in the form of dispersions with which the shaped article,such as a cigar or cigarette core, may be coated as by dipping orspraying. Upon drying, the residue of the coating forms a relativelynon-porous covering similar to wrapper material.

The tobacco dispersions employed in forming tobacco sheets such asdisclosed in Letters Patent No. 2,769,734 to D. Bandel and LettersPatents, Nos. 2,881,414 and 2,988,445 to S. Rosenberg et al., form idealcoating compositions. The following two examples have provedsatisfactory.

EXAMPLE NO. 5

Amylose acetate (D.S. 2.6-2.9) grams 2.6 Havana seed tobacco (ballmilled) do 10.6 Chloroform ml 80.0 Methylene chloride ml 20.0

EXAMPLE NO. 6

Cellulose triacetate grams 2.6 Havana seed tobacco (ball milled) do 10.6Chloroform ml 80.0 Methylene chloride ml 20.0

6 the teachings in the aforementioned parent application Ser. No.493,950.

The term tobacco as used herein includes tobacco, su bstitutes therefor,tobacco-like substances and reconstituted tobacco.

I claim:

1. A process of manufacturing a smoking product article comprising thesteps of creating a foam from a foam stabilizing agent, admixing afoaming agent therewith and refoaming the mix, combining tobaccoparticles with said foamed mix to form a tobacco-foam mixture slurry, atleast one element of said mixture being adhesive, forming said slurryinto a predetermined shape, and drying said shaped slurry to apreselected moisture content in which tobacco particles are spaced fromeach other by a gaseous media to form a stable foamed mass.

2. The process according to claim 1 wherein the foaming agent is anadhesive chosen from natural or synthetic hydrophilic gums in which thenatural gums are selected from carbohydrate classes including the animalgums such as glycogen, plant gums and their derivatives, such ascellulose ethers, cellulose ester, starches, starch ethers, starchesters, amylose, amylosepectin and their ester and ether derivatives,locust bean gum, guar gum, lgum arabic and related seed gums and plantexudate gums, marine plant gums, such as algins, carageenins, laminarinsandv agar, and microbial gums such as the dextrans, phosphomannans suchas the USDA B-1459 and B1428, and the glucuronic acid microbialcontaining gums such as the USDA Y-1409 gums, and protein classesincluding water dispersible proteins such as animal proteins such ashydrolize-d keratins, egg albumin, and vegetable proteins such as glutenand the synthetic gums are selected from the group consisting ofpolyvinyl alcohol, polyoxyethylone and. polyacramide.

3. The process according to claim 1 wherein the foam stabilizing agentis selected from the class of ionic and non-ionic surfactants consistingof the salts of the sulfate esters of the alkylphenoxypolyoxethyleneethanol, the salts of sulfate compounds of the type N-methyl-N-oleoyltaurine, sorbitan esters such as sorbitan monostearate (Span or themonooleate (Span ethylene oxide sorbital condensation products, andlecithins and lecithin derivatives.

4. The process according to claim 1 including the additional step ofadmixing with the slurry a blowing agent.

5. The'process according to claim 4 wherein baking powder is used as theblowing agent.

6. The product made by the process according to claim 1.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,716,250 6/ 1929 Thiele.

2,433,877 1/1948 Wells et al. 13117 2,734,509 1/1956 Jurgensen 13117FOREIGN PATENTS 354,134 6/ 1922 Germany. 382,633 10/ 1923 Germany.

MELVIN D. REIN, Primary Examiner.

1. A PROCESS OF MANUFACTURING A SMOKING PRODUCT ARTICLE COMPRISING THESTEPS OF CREATING A FOAM FROM A FOAM STABILIZING AGENT, ADMIXING AFOAMING AGENT THEREWITH AND REFOAMING THE MIX, COMBINING TOBACCOPARTICLES WITH SAID FOAMED MIX TO FORM A TOBACCO-FOAM MIXTURE SLURRY, ATLEAST ONE ELEMENT OF SAID MIXTURE BEING ADHESIVE, FORMING SAID SLURRYINTO A PREDETERMINED SHAPE, AND DRYING SAID SHAPED SLURRY TO APRESELECTED MOISTURE CONTENT IN WHICH TOBACCO PARTICLES ARE SPACED FROMEACH OTHER BY A GASEOUS MEDIA TO FORM A STABLE FOAMED MASS.